Buffer for vehicle-wheels.



FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1911. 1 130 921 Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHOTOVLITHO, WASHING roN D c.

P. DE PIYPFER. BUFFER FOR VEHICLE WHEELS. APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1911.

1,1 30,927. Patented Mar. 9, 1915. S

2 SHEET8-SHBBT 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOTO LITHO WASHINGION. D

PAUL be rrxrrnn, or KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, 7

BUFFER non VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 27, 1911. Serial No. 623,610.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it lmown that 1, PAUL DE PFYFFER, a citizen of Switzerland, and a resident of Kelowna, in the Province of British Columbia, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Buii'er for Vehicle- Wheels, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved buffer, more especially designed for use between the members of the sectional hub of a vehicle wheel, to take up jolts and jars on the wheel when passing over rough surfaces, and arranged to insure a firmer hold on the hub on inflation of'the buffer. For the purpose mentioned, use is made of a pneumatic bufierof annular or ring shape, and interposed between the members of a sectional hub of the wheel, the buffer having an inner portion of a material dilatable radially and held against axial dilation, the remaining outer portion being,

of a flexible material held against dilation in any direction. A

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part. of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a cross section of the buffer, arranged between the members of a sectional vehicle hub; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the buifer in position on the hub, the end plate being removed; Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan View of the reinforcement for the inner portion of the buffer; Fig. 4 is a like view of the reinforcement for the outer portion of the bufiier; Fig. 5 is a cross section of the buffer provided with a partition to form a plurality of cells or compartments in the buffer, the latter being shown in position between the members of the sectional hub of a nondriven vehicle wheel; Fig. 6 is a sectional side elevation of the buffer shown in Fig. 5, the section being on the line 66 of Fig. 5; and Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections through certain forms of the buffer illustrating the same under pressure.

On the axle A of the vehicle is mounted to turn in the usual manner the wheel hub formed of an outer or spoke section or member B, an inner or axle section or member B and a buffer or cushion C interposed between the'said sections or members B and B. The buffer or cushion C is in the form of a tubular ring having an inner or an axial portion (1' and a remaining outer portion 0 of which the inner portion O is made of a material dilatable radially but.

held'against axial dilation, while the outer portion C is of a flexible material held against dilation in any direction. In practiee, the inner portion C may be made of soft rubber reinforced in a direction parallel to the axis of the axle A, by the use of a fabric having spaced threads extending longitudinally and terminating in selvedges at Patented Mar. 9, 1915. a

the ends, which selvedges, however, project 2 1i beyond the sides of the inner portion 0. when making the buffer and are finally cut off along the lines 3-3 of Fig. 3. The outer portion C may be made of rubber reinforced by a fabric having both warp and weft threads, so as to render the outer portion 0 flexible but holding the same against being dilated. The radialdiameter mw of the cross sectional area of the buffer or cushion is somewhat less than the diameter 7,/3 parallel to the axis of the hub. When the bufier or cushion is in position between the hub sections B and B then the inner portion C is parallel to the axis of the hub and snugly fits onto the inner hub section B", while the outer portion C is arched and fits into a correspondingly shaped concaveportion of the outer hub section B. A valve D is connected with the buffer or. cushion C so as to permit of inflating the buffer or cushion with air by the aid of a suitable pump or other means. When the bufier or cushion C is in position between the hub sections B' and B, and air is pumped into the buffer by way of valve 'D, then the inner portion C is forced in firm contact with the peripheral face of the hub section B as the said portion C is dilatable radially and held against extension in a direction parallel to the axis of fer G, is in position on the hub section B and is inflated, it has the tendency to dilate in that. direction whereit difiers most from the circular shape. It is further understood that. the extension of the bufler C is forced in the centripetal (hence also radial) direction.

It will be at once apparent that the purpose of forming the inner buffer portion C without longitudinal reinforcement, is to permit of the enlargement of this (the inner circumferential) portion of the bufier, such being of course necessary in order to allow of the disposition of the buffer on a hub in the manner shown in Fig. 1. The buifer is, on the other hand, prevented from enlarge ment in a directionp arallel to the hub after disposition thereon, by the transverse reinforcement of its inner portion 0, it being borne in mind that the outer portion C is inextensible in any direction. Thus the buffer is so constructed that after disposal on a hub, it directs all the pressureof its air in a centripetal direction.

Asshownin the drawings the hub section B is provided with a sprocket wheel E for connection with the motor for propelling the.vehicle,and the ends of the hub section B. are provided with circular recesses 13 each containing a ball G abutting against the inner face of a disk F rotating with the hub section B and forming with the'balls G a thrust bearing.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the buifer or cushion C is provided with an annular partition,- C of the same material as the outer portion: C the said partition C dividing the interior of the buffer or cushion into concentric compartments 0 and C each less in; height than in width. In this case, the.

1, the portion C is parallel to the axis of the.

buffer when manufactured.

Fig. 8 discloses a two-compartment form,

in which the portion C when manufactured is similar to the portion. C shown in .F ig. .7, and

when in use on the hub section. the portion C isparallel, to snugly fit onto the periph-. eral face of the hub sectionB.

It. is. understood: that. instead of one. spare tition C two or more such'partitions maybe employedl From the foregoingit will be seen that the pneumatic ring-shaped buffer, introduced parallel to theaxle, and this extension becomes more pronounced as the inflationwis;

It will also be noticed that by. I

increased. inflating the pneumatic ring-shaped buffer, the inner diameter of the inner portion C tendslto become smaller on theincreaseiof' inflation so that the inner portion 0 takes a firm hold on the peripheral face of the hub section Bf.

751 between the hub sections B and B of .the. vehicle wheel, on being inflated, takes; a. bigger extension in a: radial direction than It is understood that when the vehicle.

section B from above, while a pressure is exerted against the outer hub section Bfrom below by way of the spokes and the wheel rim or tire in contact with the ground,

wherebythe hubsections B and B move into eccentric positions one relative to the-other.

Thus, when under load and the outer hub section is forced'to a position eccentric'with respect to the inner hub section, the lower= half of the buffer is distorted by compression between the hub sections, although both this portion and the upper portion of thebufierx continue to press inwardly against the inner hub portion. 7

Having thus described *my invention, I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. As an article of manufacture, a buffer:

for a vehicle wheel to be used intermediate the sections of a two part 'hubg-consisting of a tubular ringhaving an inner axle por: tion of rubber reinforced by spaced threads running in a direction parallel to the axis of the axle to hold the said inner portionagainst stretching in the said axial direction, and toallow the saidinner portion to dilate radially, and an outer portio'n of rubber re-v inforced by an inelastic fabric material to render the said outer portion flexible and tohold itagainst dilation.

9.. As an article of manufacture, abuffer:

forced by a flexible inelastic fabric material In testimony whereof I have signed my to render the said outer portion flexible and name to this specification in the presence of 10 to hold it against dilation, and annular partwo subscribing witnesses.

titions Within the ring extending axially and 5 forming concentric compartments in the PAUL DE PFYFFER' ring, the partition being formed by a flexible Witnesses: material inelasticallyreinforced held against THOMAS LAwsoN, dilation. ALBERT STANLEY WADE.

Copies oftthis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente,

Wuhington, D. 0. 

